Config Rules are Unclear, EA Staff Refuses Responses and Abuses Power When I Ask

[Ryan_Morford]

EA support has refused to help me answer questions about the game for about a week straight. My question revolves around config file modification in your game. The rules of Apex clearly state that modifying game files are a bannable offense; this is not the case, however, as not only will you not get banned, but in the case of certain streamers, you will have express permission from Apex representatives to use config file modification to allow for impossible movements such as super gliding and neo strafing, additionally using config file modification to allow for audio fixes such as giving yourself surround sound 7.1 is also permitted by community managers. I would provide some evidence for my claims here. However, the last time I did that, I was nearly banned by a community manager due to "name and shame" because I mentioned the streamer who got staff permission to cheat, violating community guidelines. I used his public Twitter handle and mentioned his public tweet admitting to cheating. After my community manager warned me about this topic, he forced close the case so I could not ask my questions; I also ran into many live support staff members who closed the live support before I could even type my first message, clearly not wanting to do their jobs. I am still waiting for a response on Twitter from Twitter help, and finally, I asked for email support, where I moved between SEVEN representatives. I still need to address the issue I asked. I can no longer respond to them because they closed the email chain, claiming that my "ban" had been reviewed and they found me to be cheating... I am not banned, nor do I use game file modification of any kind; that was not the question asked, and clearly, their game of telephone lost my original question, though if they did their jobs, they could see that my question is not that hard to answer. That is why I asked them if it was allowed. I find it incredibly unprofessional to refuse essential support and ignore and disrespect players looking for such help blatantly. I have lost all respect for the EA support staff after my interactions with over a dozen individuals, who either immediately closed the support topic so they do not need to help or abused their positions, threatening me. If any community managers see this and decide not to abuse their power I would love to discuss the rules so that I can fully understand who is and is not permitted to modify game files and what constitutes an unfair advantage.

[mkdninja]

Here's one definition from Wikipedia about cheating: Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert rules in order to obtain unfair advantages.

If using autoaim on a controller isn't considered cheating when playing vs people that aim with their hand, then editing your config file also isn't cheating. Why would you allow one but no the other, right? You'd have to be two-faced to do that.

[Ryan_Morford]

That would be the case, but they already state that using config files is cheating. Yes, it is a double standard, but I can't control what they enforce, so I want to ask them about it.

[Midnight9746]

@Ryan_Morford As far as I'm aware of, you cannot and should not modify the game files, yet "pro" players seemed to be the only ones allowed to not only do that, but blantly use cheats on stream. I personally do not get how that's okay.

[Ryan_Morford]

I agree, that is what I am complaining about.

[mkdninja]

Cheating includes:

• Performing in-game exploits and abusing glitches or bugs.
• Stat padding (abusing game features the way they aren’t supposed to be used to artificially stack scores). 
• Using software or cheat tools that disconnect other players from the EA servers.
• Teaming up and playing with other players who are using cheats.

Nothing here about editing your config file. Only mentions in-game exploits. No wonder so many cheaters in this game are never banned for any exploits like bunny hopping and stuff.

What do we expect from a company that doesn't even have their own anticheat after being in the business for so long.

[Ryan_Morford]

It is considered exploiting glitches and bugs when you edit config files because the movements you make using them cannot occur without glitches. The config files simply enable a player to consistently achieve glitched movement. This is not just my opinion, but a fact confirmed by all EA staff I spoke with.

[Midnight9746]

@mkdninja Back in season 2, (I think), players were able to edit the config files to a point where Bangalore's smoke was rendered useless. This also removed the flashes from weapons and the effects from grenades. However, this was a bannable offense, and those who modified the game files got banned.

Afterwards, Respawn patched it out, (that I know of), where if you edit that part of the files again, it wouldn't work anymore.

[Ryan_Morford]

Yes, but following that, they still say you are not allowed to use config files. Every staff member I have spoken to, those willing to answer me, has said that your account will be banned if you modify config files

[XHelperZ]

Okay let's clear up some things.

As indicated by the EA User Agreement:

"You may not access, copy, modify or distribute any EA Service, Content or Entitlements (as those terms are defined below), unless expressly authorized by EA or permitted by law"

No mention about being allowed to change files (which may or may not include making config files or modifying them) either on official pages or indicated by files (such as readme files) in the directory itself.

This means that theoretically it would violate the user agreement, though I must mention that IANAL and that this is just purely my stance on it, so not an official response.

Though you can reference this official response from a while back:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion/Can-I-get-banned-for-adding-a-100-Superglide-CFG/m-p/12...

I'd say that this is still valid, so it's best to avoid configs overall, though especially movement ones or graphics ones.

My personal opinion? 

Just keep ya hands off em.